Expo 2020 Dubai legacy site to become UAE's first '15-minute city'

Major focus on Copenhagen-style cycling routes

Visitors ride a bike at Expo 2020 Dubai. Cycling and walking will be a major part of the residential legacy site. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A visitor rents a bike at the Expo site on a cool Wednesday afternoon. Victor Besa / The National

Visitors ride a bike at the Expo site on the first Sunday of the year. Chris Whiteoak / The National

From left, Romanian Ionela Hapencu, Italian Antonio Bellomo and Julia Mularczyk from Poland pose with Expo passports on rented bikes.

James from England is all thumbs up on his bike at the Expo site on a Sunday morning. Victor Besa / The National

A father and his son cruise around the Expo site on a rented bike.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, explores the Expo site on his bike. Photo: Dubai Media Office

The world's fair has encouraged visitors to use bikes to and from Expo bus stations. Photo: Expo 2020

Dubai has been pressing ahead with its goal to promote the city as a cyclists' haven. Photo: Expo 2020

More than 10 kilometres of cycling tracks were designed to allow visitors to explore the Expo site. Photo: Expo 2020

There are more than 200 bicycles available to rent across 23 stations at the Expo site, with more than 160 shaded bike stops in the area. Photo: Expo 2020

The Expo 2020 Dubai legacy site will transform into a residential community once the world's fair is over — with cycling the main method of transport.

District 2020 will become the country's first “15-minute city”, meaning it will be possible to walk or cycle from end to end without the need for a car.

David Gourlay, director of architecture for District 2020, the name of the legacy site, took visitors on a cycling tour of the site on Wednesday. There is already a major focus on its future use, he said, with only 56 days to go until its grand finale.

“With Expo 2020 Dubai ending on March 31, we hosted this tour to highlight how the site will evolve into a fully integrated community, and a 15-minute city that offers workers, residents and visitors everything they need in close proximity,” he said.

“A big part of District 2020’s infrastructure is centred around health and well-being with the aim of promoting an active and balanced lifestyle.

“The site will feature smart mobility solutions that encourage sustainable and flexible means of movement, allowing people to travel safely and conveniently between their office and home.

“This includes a range of mobility options that link the site, such as a dedicated autonomous vehicle route, a 10 kilometre cycling track, interconnected, wide pedestrianised pathways and a 5km jogging track.”

Mr Gourley spoke after an event at Expo's Health and Wellness week. Examples from the International Well Building Institute (IWBI), Copenhagenize Design — an index providing a ranking of bicycle-friendly cities — and the Swedish Public Health Agency were also featured.

The Expo 2020 Dubai site forms of large part of Dubai's 2040 Urban Plan.

Much of the city's physical expansion to accommodate a projected population of 5.8 million is focused in the southern part, with expanded suburbs around Expo and Silicon Oasis.

Once the world's fair draws to close on March 31, work will begin on transforming the $8 billion site into a residential and commercial community. It is estimated that about 80 per cent of the structures will remain in some form.

The UK has already said it will open a hydrogen innovation centre with the UAE on the legacy site. Italy's government said it will run a “renaissance” legacy project at the site to preserve archaeological artefacts and art recovered from war zones.

Speaking to The National shortly before the world's fair began, chief experience officer Marjan Faraidooni said some of the largest buildings on site, such as the Mobility pavilion, were built with the future in mind.

“When we thought about the buildings, we automatically thought about what these buildings would be doing after the event is over. For this particular one — Mobility — the legacy is very flexible,” Ms Faraidooni said.

“We have worked closely with the architects on a design that allows us to shift and repurpose it as a commercial office building.”

Expo 2020 Dubai legacy plans: in pictures

About 80 per cent of the buildings will remain in some form. Many were constructed so that they could be transformed to residential units or commercial space

A rendering of what District 2020 will look like once the fair is over and the country pavilions are removed. There are plans to have 145,000 people live here. All photos: Expo 2020

Cycling and walking are a major part of the mobility plans for the area

All amenities in the area will be reachable with a 15-minute walk

Expo 2020 Dubai visitors can see plans for District 2020 at the experience hub in the Rove Expo 2020 hotel